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2006
Here's what happened in 2006. January * 02 - Keeping It Real with Will and Willie, starring Will Durst and Willie Brown, debuts on KQKE in San Francisco. * 23 - Saga Communications' WVAX In Charlottesville, VA flips to liberal talk. February * 06 - Entercom Communications' WWKB in Buffalo, drops oldies for progressive talk, with a mostly non-Air America lineup. Has another station in the market reserved that programming? * 13 - WHLD (1270AM), in Niagara Falls, NY, also in the Buffalo market, flips to liberal talk with mostly Air America lineup. * 28 - The sale of KXXT in Phoenix is official, and the station flips from liberal talk to religious programming. * 28 - KKNS in Missoula, MT drops liberal talk and becomes 105.9 Jack-FM. Though the station had strong ratings, advertising sales were underwhelming. March * 08 - The New York Post speculates that Air America and WLIB may part ways. April * 03 - Liberal talk returns to Phoenix after a month as Sheldon Drobny signs a local marketing agreement with KPHX. * 04 - The birth of the Drobnys' Nova M Radio. * 06: CEO Danny Goldberg announces that he'll be leaving Air America after a little more than a year. * 10 - Peter B. Collins' self-syndication effort gathers steam as he picks up KSAC in Sacramento and the new KPHX. * 17 - The Marc Maron Show debuts on KTLK, in a trial run for syndication. * 28 - The rumors were true. WLIB and Air America will sever ties on August 31. WLIB may remain a liberal talker, and they allegedly are negotiating with Randy Michaels, who's company owns Ed Schultz Show]. May * 01 - Nova M Radio obtains a signal in Little Rock, AR, as KDXE hits the air. June * 11: WWAA in Atlanta, GA) drops all Air America programming except for Al Franken. Later adopts WMLB call letters. * 11 - Signs of trouble at WCKY in Cincinnati, as Ed Schultz complains rather vocally about conservative efforts to force him off the air there. * 23: president Gary Krantz announces that he'll be leaving Air America after a little more than a year July * 07 - Liberal talk moves down the dial to WSAI (1360AM) in Cincinnati. Sports moves to 1530AM. It's a lesser signal, but one that isn't interrupted by all-night paid religious programming. * 14 - Janeane Garofalo's last day as co-host with Sam Seder on The Majority Report * 18 - Air America hits the FM airwaves in Sheridan, WY. However, it's on an HD Radio subchannel of KYTI (93.7FM). * 22 - The Time Is Now debuts as a weekend offering on Air America. August * 02 - Air America strikes a deal with WWRL New York to become the network's new flagship affiliate starting September 1. * 07 - KPTR in Palm Springs launches progressive talk format. * 09 - Ed Schultz lashes out on-air at WSAI in Cincinnati, this time over sloppy operations, poor promotion and many technical glitches. Both parties are reported to have a sour relationship, and WSAI even dropped Schultz temporarily. * 17 - Another switcheroo in Burlington, VT, as WVAA's liberal talk programming moves back down the dial to WTWK (1070AM). * 18 - Clear Channel looking to deal off WLBY in Ann Arbor to Cumulus Media. * 18 - Rachel Maddow announces on her show that she will move to evenings soon, displacing Majority Report. * 23 - Further hints at lineup changes at Air America, as Sam Seder will move to late mornings. Fate of Jerry Springer's show in that slot is unknown. * 23: WDOD Chattanooga liberal talk to return to adult standards. * 30: [[Mike Malloy] is abruptly fired by Air America Radio. September * 01 - Air America moves to WWRL. * 01 - Malloy asks his loyal listeners to stop harassing his temporary replacement, Peter Werbe. * 06 - The post-Malloy era continues at Air America, with Jon Elliott and Laura Flanders filling in. Malloy is making the rounds of other talk shows, airing his side of the story. * 12 - Gloria Steinem and others launch Greenstone Media, a new talk radio network targeting women. * 13 - Think Progress publishes rumor that Air America will declare bankruptcy. * 14 - As Think Progress retracts their story, several people at Air America do acknowledge cash flow problems. * 18 - At Air America, a radical roster shakeup takes place.Mark Riley will remain after all, on the air from 5-6A. The Young Turks will do mornings. Randi Rhodes loses her fourth hour, Rachel Maddow moves to evenings. The Majority Report is no more, as remaining host Sam Seder moves to late mornings, displacing Jerry Springer, who's shuffled over to the network's syndication arm]. Two hour-long shows, EcoTalk and Politically Direct will air in nights. Jon Elliott and Peter Werbe take turns filling the late night shift. Many affiliates shuffle their lineups. * 18 - KRFT in St. Louis picks up The Randi Rhodes Show. KXIC in Iowa City adds Thom Hartmann (they're already airing Rhodes). * 18 - Mike Malloy realizes he still has access to his blog on Air America, and posts message for his listeners. Air America deletes his page the next day. * 20 - Springer On The Radio is slowly fading away, as he is currently on only three or so affiliates. * 20 - KXEB in Dallas is sold, will flip to Spanish-language religious programming. * 25 - WSRQ in Sarasota, FL drops Jerry Springer and all other talk shows to simulcast with its FM sister station in Tampa. October * 01 - KXEB Dallas switches to Catholic radio as part of Guadalupe Radio Network. * 02 - KQKE San Francisco drops Will and Willie, begins airing Stephanie Miller. * 04 - The owner of KOMY in Santa Cruz announces that he will definitely, maybe, probably drop liberal talk from the station. * 06 - Clear Channel, The Center for American Progress, Jones Radio Networks, and MSS, Inc, announce a nationwide search for "The Next Progressive Talk Radio Star." * 11 - KEZX in Medford, OR will flip to a mix of liberal and conservative talk, adding Al Franken. * 13 - Air America Radio files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. * 16 - Nova M Radio announces the formation of a new radio network, anchored by Mike Malloy. Flagship station will be KPHX in Phoenix. * 19 - Mike Malloy returns to Air America (sort of) to do two day fill-in for Jerry Springer. * 19 - Former Air America executive Tom Athans launches new syndication service, Talk USA Radio. * 20 - WKBF in Davenport, IA sold to right-winger from Wisconsin, will pick up a Christian-based religious format. * 27 - An alleged advertiser 'black list' surfaces via the Peter B. Collins show. The blogosphere erupts over it, but it turns out that it is merely just traffic directions for radio stations airing national commercials. Other talk show hosts, including Thom Hartmann, discount the whole 'blacklist' meme. And the network, ABC, and some advertisers on the list claim it is incorrect. In fact, several companies on the list do indeed advertise on progressive talk programs and stations. * 30 - First day of Nova M Radio and the relaunched Mike Malloy show, in the 9P-12A slot. * 31 - Air America is on the selling block. November * 01 - In a rather odd move, Nova M Radio's newest daily offering will come from John Loftus, a somewhat conservative former Justice Department prosecutor with a background in intelligence gathering. * 01 - The Young Turks announce the hiring of activist, ambush journalist and liberal prankster Mike Stark. * 06 - Amid rumors of Franken's eventual departure from radio, KQKE San Francisco drops him and adds Thom Hartmann in his place. * 08: WSMB New Orleans drops progressive talk, as they flip to a time-shifted simulcast of WWL in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The WSMB call letters move to a sister progressive talk station in Memphis. * 05 - KQKE San Francisco host John Scott forwards a rumor that Al Franken will leave radio come December 10. The rumor turns out to be false. * 10 - The management of highly-rated WXXM Madison announces that they will flip the station to sports on January 1. * 12 - Free Republic poster arrested for sending phony anthrax threat letters to Keith Olbermann, Jon Stewart, incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Shumer (D-NY). * 13 - WYOS in Binghamton, NY and WRVC in Huntington, WV flip to sports. WRVC's sister station WCMI takes over progressive talk programming from WRVC. * 16 - Clear Channel Communications announces deal to sell to a pair of venture capital firms. * 16 - Listeners and radio personalities are rallying to save WXXM in Madison, with petitions and rallies planned. * 30 - Ed Schultz announces intention to move to earlier time slot, head-to-head with Al Franken and Thom Hartmann. December * 05 - As sale becomes official, WKBF Quad Cities drops liberal talk. * 06 - Rumors begin to surface regarding the fate of WXKS and WKOX in Boston. * 08 - As his remaining affiliates make plans to drop him, Jerry Springer ends his radio show. * 11 - The Ed Schultz Show begins airing in earlier time slot. * 11 - WSAI Cincinnati drops progressive talk for lifestyle talk. * 12 - Rally held to support WXXM. * 18 - Mike Malloy picked up for Sirius Left. * 18 - WHLD Niagara Falls drops liberal talk for gospel music. KTXX-FM San Antonio switches to Spanish-language programming. * 20 - Longtime Akron talker Joe Finan, formerly at WARF dies at the age of 79. * 21 - Boston, MA progressive radio listserv launched * 21 - The Clear Channel bloodbath continues. WKOX and WXKS Boston switch from progressive talk to Latino music. * 21 - Due to strong listener response, WXXM management reconsiders, will keep liberal talk. * 23 - WTPG Columbus announces intention to drop progressive talk for conservative talk in January. * 23 - Air America founder Sheldon Drobny publishes op-ed in Huffington Post blasting the management of the network and their attempt to declare bankruptcy. * 26 - Columbus, OH progressive radio listserv launched * 27 - First meeting of "Save Boston Progressive Talk" * 28 - Ed Schultz reveals he is negotiating with new owner of KFGO Fargo about returning to do local "News and Views" show, and to bring his syndicated show back to the station. * 29 - WLBY Ann Arbor sale paperwork filed with FCC. * 30 - First meeting of "Air America for Nashville" References Category:Timeline